Ames opens first roller derby team

The Ames Roller Derby Association started in September and is inviting members of the community to join the team.

Laura Shelton, one of the group’s founders, said the idea originally started when Ames residents were finding it difficult to make the trip to the Des Moines roller derby team practices.

"It’s a lot of commuting back and forth, so there were quite a few girls, at least a dozen, in Ames that really wanted to join roller derby but couldn’t because of time constraints," Shelton said.

"So we decided to start the league here so people could enjoy the league as much as we do."

Along with Katie Bailey, Tonya Nelson and Mindy Kimball-Gerritson, Shelton formed the group earlier this year. Thanks to Kimball-Gerritson working for Beloit Lutheran Services, the group opened the doors of the Beloit gym to 15 new skaters in September. The group also recently had another recruitment session, which gained another six skaters, and the next session will be held on January 9.

"People are just really excited about it and just spread the word for us," Shelton said.

Shelton, 27, has been skating for three years and met Kimball-Gerritson at the Des Moines league. After playing sports as a kid, Shelton found roller derby in her later years and now uses it as her primary athletic outlet.

"I kind of missed playing on a team. As an adult, there aren’t as many opportunities for situations like that," Shelton said. "So derby has just been a way for me to meet people in Iowa and just have a ton of fun doing something that doesn’t necessarily come naturally, but is pretty easy to learn."

Shelton met Kimball-Gerritson, 33, at the Des Moines roller derby league and the two learned how to skate together. But the commute became a struggle for the Ames players. Shelton said there is a large number of leagues across the state, and Ames is the biggest major Iowa city without at least one league, and the group decided to fix that.

Since opening, the team has used the Beloit gym, as well as the United school gym, but both come with certain restrictions.

"It’s a little smaller than what we need for a new track," Kimball-Gerritson said. "It works for now, but we’re looking for a new space."

For future practices, Shelton said the team is looking for a larger space with a flat surface big enough to have enough clearance along the sides to hold a game. The sport allows the team to play on virtually any surface, and Shelton said she has played in sites like factories and airport hangers.

"It can be anything as long as it is flat and big; concrete, wood, skate court or sport court," Shelton said.

To join the league, a player can participate with no skating experience required, but they must meet a few requirements. They must first be at least 18 years old, and must provide their own skates, elbow, knee and wrist guards, a helmet and a mouth guard. The cost to practice three times a week with the full-time team is $30 a month, or skaters can pay $5 to play occasionally. Kimball-Gerritson said the league is currently accepting women but are interested in forming a men’s and junior league in the future.

The team is also holding a logo contest for their "Skunk River Riot" team. Anyone can enter, and entries will be accepted through January 20. Shelton said rules for the contest are available on the team’s website.

Despite being relatively new, the group already has three games scheduled against the Dubuque, Mason City and Dakota City teams.

"Once you join, you are instantly addicted. It is so much fun, it’s so competitive and it’s so athletic. We work so hard, it’s very intense, but the people you meet are amazing," Kimball-Gerritson said. "All my closest friends are girls I met at derby. It’ll change your life, you just don’t realize what you can do until you play roller derby."